Over time, environmental and human factors may cause rocks to become loose. If these rocks are on a sloped surface, such as a cliff or a mountainside, the rocks may be freed and fall down the sloped surface. This phenomenon is known as rockfall. Rockfalls may be dangerous if the sloped surface is nearby an area with human activity. For example, transportation infrastructure such as roadways and train tracks built close to sloped surfaces by necessity are vulnerable to rockfall damage. Rockfalls can also damage road vehicles and trains, cause traffic and train delays, and even result in injury or death to individuals in the vicinity of the rockfall.
Rockfall barriers intercept rocks falling down slopes and dissipate their kinetic energy before they can pose a danger to human activity. Conventional rockfall barriers typically include a deformable mesh net supported by two or more rigid posts secured in a perpendicular manner to the slope. The posts may be stayed with guy wires provided with cable brakes of various configurations. Impact by falling rock with energy up to the design energy limit of the barrier may be absorbed by deformation of the net and activation of the cable brakes. Impact with the net of rocks with energies greater than the design energy can result in damage or destruction of the barrier.
Rockfall barriers with improved energy absorbing capabilities are desirable.